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Abbott's budget carve up: Why exits at the ABC will hurt the fans

The W-League should receive a hefty increase in funding from the FFA (Image: Peter McAlpine)
Roar Guru
4th December, 2014
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The Federal government’s decision to cut funding at the ABC will put in excess of 400 media staff out of a job. But just what will be lost, and how will this effect sports lovers?

The $254m to be shredded – as announced by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull last month – will have a huge impact on both you and I, as fans of the game.

$207m will be slashed from the national broadcaster’s budget before July 2015, so heading into the reform, let’s take stock at both what – and who – has been shown the door.

Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL)
Resultantly, the ABC’s 35-year association with the WNBL will now cease to exist.

The news comes as a damning blow to the competition, which had looked set to prosper in the 2015/16 season, following a stream of WNBA players arriving on our shores this year.

Opals stalwart Lauren Jackson has expressed her concerns, saying that the lack of airtime will no doubt hinder up-and-coming talents in securing vital sponsors.

The competition remains without a major broadcast partner, with commercial stations unlikely to show interest in the league.

Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Executive Officer Leanne Evans told the SBS the cuts would affect both current and aspiring athletes.

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“Young girls look up to elite female athletes,” she said.

“Without that television coverage it’s just that much harder to see those players and see the pathway ahead of them.”

Women’s Football League (W-League)
A similar fate now fronts would-be footballers across Australia, as the W-League competition looks likely to be played without a major broadcast partner in 2015.

Fox Sports though has shown interest in the league before, and may look to acquire the full rights to the competition come the next season.

In lieu of a major partner, however, commercial investment will certainly lessen; and as revenue dwindles we can expect wider interest to do the same.

The FFA now face a huge task in selling the game to potential buyers, and frustration at the news resounded in their response – albeit brief – to the government’s decision.

“The FFA is disappointed with the decision to cut the broadcast of Australia’s premier women’s national sporting competition.”

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State League Aussie Rules (VFL, WAFL, NTFL)
State-based Aussie Rules competitions have also been booted, much to the dissatisfaction to those from the North.

Tony Frawley, AFLNT Chief Executive, told 7Sport of the disappointment, and the impacts it would have across the Northern community.

“It will be disappointing not to have the broadcast because we’ve had such a great relationship with the ABC over many, many years but the cuts just won’t make that available,” he said.

“It’s been great for us to be able to get it out to particularly Indigenous communities that don’t get access to the football by coming to the stadiums here in Darwin.”

The cuts come as another blow to the state leagues following Foxtel’s decision to withdraw funding from the Foxtel Cup, while reality TV show The Recruit was also given the bump

The AFL has insisted that the top-flight competition itself will not be hindered by the ABC’s cuts, although some media staff covering the league would be.

“ABC Radio Grandstand AFL will not be affected by the cuts,” an ABC spokesman told AFL.com.au.

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“However, three Grandstand broadcasters, two in Melbourne and one in Tasmania have been impacted by the cuts.”

Personnel
Along with these staff, experienced broadcasters in Drew Morphett and Dan Lonergan are among the many others who have been asked to take redundancy packages.

With over 50 years experience between the pair, their expertise will be sorely missed from fans across the country, and too, right around the world.

The cuts are also likely to have played a role in David Morrow’s recent retirement – although the extent of which they did, remains unknown.

Peter Newlands has also been made redundant.

What does it all mean?
While hundreds of ABC staffers will lose their jobs, it is we – as fans of sport – who are at arguably the greatest loss.

As the WNBA and W-League look unlikely to be screened free-to-air, so too will the AFL be affected by the changes.

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Just where the cuts will end, and exactly who else is on the chopping block, remains to be seen.

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